Boiler water level indicating device



Aug. 2, 1932. H. J. KERR 8 BOILER WATER LEVEL INDICATING DEVICE FiledDec. 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1932- H. J. KERR 1,869,428

BOILER WATER LEVEL INDICATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2B Y Y him! A TTORNE V3 1932- H. J. KERR 1,869,428

BOILER WATER LEVEL INDICATING DEVICE Fi led Dec. 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheets Q 1 I )zv VENTOR BY z V I ATTORNEY! Aug. 2, 1932. H. J. KERR BOILERWATER LEVEL INDiCATING' DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR Patented Aug. 2, 1932 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- HOWARD J.KERR, OF EL MORA, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN'OR TO THE BAIBGOCK & WILCOXCOMPANY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW BOILER WATER LEVELINDICATING DEVICE Application filed December My present inventionrelates to devices for showing the water level in steam boilers, and isparticularly applicable to such boilers operating at high pressures.

My invention will be understood from the following description and theannexed drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodimentof my invention shown in connection with a portion of a horizontal 1osteam and water drum, such as are commonly used in certain types ofboilers; Fig. 2 is afront elevation and Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame; Fi 3 is a vertical section along p the line 33 Fig. 2"; Figs. 4and5 are 15 edge and side views, respectively, of one of the details; Fig.6 is an enlarged section along the line 66 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a sideview'of one of the details; Fig. 8 is a section along the line 8-8 ofFig. 7; Fig. 9 :0 is a section of one of the details taken along theline 99 of Fig. 10, in which a side view of the detail is shown; Fig. 11is an edge view and Fig. 12 is a side view of another detail; Fig. 13 isa section along the line :5 13-13 of Fig. 14, which shows a side view ofone of the other details; Figs. 15 and 17 are edge and side views,respectively, partly broken away, showing a side frame piece, and Figs.16 and 18 are corresponding views, showing another side frame piece.

In the illustrative arrangement, I have shown one embodiment of myinvention as it may be applied to' boilers having horizontal steam andwater drums, but it will be understoodthat it may be'applied to boilershaving drums extending in any other direction than horizontal, or,indeed, to any steam and water space of'a steam boiler and that,therefore, the portion ofv the particular boilerwith' which myillustrative embodiment is shown is merely for purposes 'ofillustration.

In the drawings, reference character 1 indicates the end of a boilerdrum thatis protached to the boiler by means of the flange 3. A flange 4is provided at the other end of the extension 2, and a sleeve 5 (Fig, 6)is mounted in this extension. A shaft 6 is mounted in ball-bearings 7and 8 in the vided with a hollow extension 2 that is at- 5,'1925. SerialNo. 73,320.

to the flange-4, and is attached thereto by means of the bolts 13. Whenthe nuts are tightened on the bolts 13, the flanges 4 and 11 are drawntogether with the ring 9 of the sleeve 5 compressed in seats providedtherefor on the flanges, gaskets being interosed to'make the joint waterandsteam tight. The sleeve 5 is provided with a conical valveseat 14,and the shaft 6 is provided with a correspondingly shaped valve portionto be seated against the valve seat for a purpose to be described below,A lever 16 (Figs. 1, 2 and6) is attached to the inner end of the shaft6, and carries at one end a float 17, and at the other end a balancingcounterweight 18. The shaft 6 is provided near its otherend with anenlarged ead 20 that is flattened on opposite sides to accommodate aforked member 21. The shaft 6 terminates in a threaded extension 22, andaninternallv threaded cap 23 screws thereon, this cap I flange whichretains the metal wear disc 24 against the end of the extension 22. Ascrew threaded opening 26 is provided through the housing 12 inalignment with the shaft 6, and a shaft 27 with a screw threaded portionislocated in the opening 26. A lever 29 is attached to the shaft 27, andmay be operated by the chain 30 to turn the shaft 27. A gland 31 isscrewed upon I the threaded extension 32, and a packing ring 33 isprovided for making a water-tight joint, in which the. shaft 27 canturn.

The end 35 of the forkedmember 21 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) is fastened bymeans of the screws 36 to a sector gear 37 (Figs. 3 and 6), and the endbf a sector hub '38 is alsg fastened beeing provided with a Theindicator housing 50 is attached to the housing 12 by means of the bolts51, an elongated block 52 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) being placed in recessesalong the adjacent surfaces of the two housings, with packing strips 53interposed to make a tight joint.

The side frame pieces 55 and 56 (Fi s. 6

and 15 to 18) are fastened by means of the screws 57 to the block 52,internally screwthreaded bosses 58 and 59 being provided on the framepieces for this purpose. Cross pieces 60 and 61 are attached to theouter ends of the frame pieces 55 and 56, and are provided with ribs 60and 61' along which the grooves in the rod 47 slide. The frame pieces55' and 56-are provided, respectively, with cut-out portions 62 and 63,within which the ends of the forked member 21, sector gear 37 and sectorhub 38 may move to and fro. The frame pieces 55 and 56 are provided withbifurcated ends 64 which straddle the extension 22 of the shaft 6. a

A bearing 68 (Figs. 6, 9 and 10) for the sector hub 38 is attached bymeans of the screws 69 to the frame pieces 55 and 56 in such a positionthat the opening 70 of this bearin also straddles the extension 22. Twosector earing caps 71 (Figs. 6, 11 and 12) "are mounted on each side ofthe bearing 68, and are held in place by the screws 69. These caps areprovided with openings 72 to straddle the extension 22, and sufficientspace is left between the bearing 68 and the flanges 73 of the. capsto-accommodate the body portion 38 of the sector hub 38. The innercircular portionof the body 38' fits aroundthe bearing 68, and its sidesand outer edges bear against the inner sides and flanges of the caps'71. The flanges of the bearing caps 71 are spaced a short distanceapart to give room for the neck portion of the sector hub 38 to passbetween the flanges and turn in this space. v

An alarm 7 5 in the form of a whistle is mounted by means of a screwplug 76 on the housing 50. Operating arms 77 for this alarm extend intoproximity with the inis provided with a pointer 79. A glass frontdicator rod 47, and their ends are in the path of the lugs 78 on thisrod. The rod 47 80 is provided for the housing 50, a'frame 81 which isheld in place by means of the bolts 82 retaining the glass in position.The open? ing through the frame 81 may be graduated along the sidesthereof to indicate normal water level and also units of distance aboveand below normal. The housing 50 may be provided at its lower end with adrain pipe 83 (Figs. 1 and 2), and at its upper end with a removableportion 84 (Fig. 3).

The operation is as follows: The float 17 rises and falls with changesin the water level in the drum, thus turning the shaft 6, whoseflattened head 20 causes the forked member 21 to movecircu'mferentially, carrying with it the sector hub 38 which is free toturn in the space between the bearing 68 and the caps 71. At the sametime, the gear 37 is turned,

.thus causing the pinion 40 and gear wheel 44 to revolve arid move theindicator rod 47 longitudinally within its housing, so that its inwardlyto force the valve 15 on the shaft 6 to seat against the valve .seat 14,thus cutting off communication between the boiler and the housing 12.,The nuts on thebolts 51 can then be removed and the housing, togetherwith the mechanism that extend to the shaft 6 can be removed, as thebifurcated ends of the sides of the frame pieces 55 and 56, as well asthe forked member 21 and the side openings in the sector hub 38, bearing68 and caps 71 permit the mechanism to be drawn away from the shaft 6. p

It will be noted that the extension 2 is located toward the upper partof the steam and water drum, and therefore, connects only with the steamspace of the drum. Consequently, while the interior of the housings 12and 50 is at the pressure of the steam in the steam and water space, thewater from the drum does not enter these housings. The

glass 80 is, therefore, not exposed to hot water or steam, the steamwhich enters the housing 50 being condensed, and relatively cool watercollecting in it. This condensate is distilled water and, therefore,clean, so that the glass 80 does not become coated. The glass can beordinary flat glass of sufiicient thickness to withstand-the boilerpressure, as it is not subjected to variations in temperature, as itwould be if the water or steam from the drum 1 contacted with it.

It will be understood that one or more gauges may be applied to thedrum, so that when one of the gauges is shut off for re-' pair, as abovedescribed, another one would space of the boiler, a housing outside saidspace and communicating .with the steam space only of such steam andwater space, a

portion of said housing being located below the water level in saidboiler, a movable indicator in said housing, and connections betweensaid indicator and said float.

2. In a boiler having a steam and water drum, a float in said drum, ahousing outside the drum, a portion of said housing being located belowthe water level in said boiler, a pipe connection between said housingand the steam space of said drum, a movable indicator in said housing,and a' connection between said float and saidindicator, said connectionextending through said pipe connection.

3. In a boiler having a steam and water drum, a, float in said drum, acounterbalanced lever for said float, a shaft for said lever, a housingoutside the drum, a pipe connection between said housing and the steamspace of said drum, a vertically disposed and vertically movableindicator in said housing, said shaft extending through said Pipeconnection, and mechanical connections between .said shaft and saidindicator.

4. In a boiler water level indicating device, a float in the water of asteam and water space of the boiler, a housing outside said space andcommunicating with the steam space only of such steam and water space, aportion of said housing extendingibelow the water level in said boiler,a vertically disposed and vertically movable indicator in said housing,and connections between'said indicator and said float, said housingbeing provided with a drain.

5. In a boiler having a steam and water drum,'a float in said drum, acounterbalanced lever to support said float, a housing outside saiddrum, a portion of said housing extending below the water level in saidboiler, a

. vertically disposed and vertically movable indicator in said housing,tween said float and said indicator.

6. In a boiler water level indicating device, a float in the water of asteam and water space of the boiler, a housing outside said space andcommunicating with the steam space only of such steam and water space, amovable indi cator in said housing, connections between said indicatorand said float, and means to cut off the communication between saidhousing,

F and steam space.

7. In a boilerwater level indicating device, a float in the water of asteam and water space of the boiler,- a housing OlltSldB saidspace andcommunicating with the steam l space only of such steam and water space,a movable indicator in said housing, connections between said indicatorand said float, and means comprising a valve associated with saidconnections to cut off the communi- F cation between said housing andsteam space.-

dicating device,

and connections be-.

. shaft longitudinallyfland seat said valve 8. In a boiler water levelindicating device, a float in the water of a steam and water space ofthe boiler, a housing outside said space communicating with the steamspace only ofsuch steam and water space, a portion of said housing beinglocated below the water level in said boiler, a movable indicator insaid housing, connections between said indicator and said float, andmeans to cause an alarm to be sounded under extreme conditions of water.level.

9. In a boiler water level indicating device,

a float in the water of a steam and water space ofthe' boiler, a housingoutside said space and communicating with the steam space only of suchsteam and water space; and adapted to be filed with water condensed insaid housing from the steam of the boiler, glass along a portion of saidhousing that is filled with water, a movable indicator in said housing,

and connections between said indicator and said float.

10. In a boiler having 'a steam and water drum,

a float in said drum, a counterbalanced lever for said float, a shaftfor said lever, a

housing outside the drum, a'pipe connection between said housing and thesteam space of said-drum, means to close said pipe connection, a movableindicator'in said housing, said shaft extending through said pipeconnection, and mechanical connections between said shaft and saidindicator, said housing and mechanical connections being readilyremovable.

, 11, In combination, a float, an indicating device, means including arevoluble shaft constant length connecting said float and inand avalveon saidshaft to close fluid communication between said float and saidindicator.

12. In a water level indicator for a boiler, a float in said boiler, ashaft connected to said float and extending from said float to theoutside of said boiler, said shaft being movable longitudinally andbeing revoluble, and level indlcating means operated by said shaft. 13.In a water level indicator for a boiler, a float in said boiler, a shaftconnected to said float and extending from said float to the outside ofsaid boiler, said shaft being movable longitudinally and beingrevoluble, a valve on said shaft, means to' move saig an levelindicating means operated by said shaft. 14. In a water level indicatorfor a boiler, a float in said boiler, a shaft connected to said floatand extending to the outside of said boiler, said shaft being movablelongitudinal ly and being revoluble, level indicatin means operated bysaid shaft, a housin or said level indicating means, and a ho low memberconnecting said housing and said boiler, said shaft extendingthroughsaid hollow member.

a float in said boiler, a shaft connected to said float and extending.to the outside of said boiler, said shaft being movable longitudinal lyand being revoluble, level indicatin means operated by said shaft, 9,housing or said level indicatin means, a hollow member connecting saidousing and said boiler, said shaft extending through said hollow member,and an alarm associated with said hous' adapted to be operated when thewater leve departs a predetermined amount from'normal; I

HOWARD J. KERR.

